Work for nomination
In the beginning of the investigation process, the National Army Topographic Service took the task to find the stations in Moldova. In this stage point Rudy was found which is now on the UNESCO List of World Heritage. It is the first entry on this list for Moldova.
Later, the State Agency for Land Relations and Cadastre and with it the "Instiute of Geodesy, Engineering Research and Cadastre " INGEOCAD became the central authority of public administration and responsible for further research.
Research
The first step in the research process was to check on maps and old aerial photos where the points are about. Lt. Gen. Carl Tenner, who was the head of the measuring of Struve Arc in the territory of Moldova (1846-1848), mostly craved marks on stones or pillars a bit under the surface. Therefore the points could not be found easily.
After the transformation of the coordinates into the national system, a big field campaign has been started to find the stations. Around the estimated coordinates, several 2 meters deep boreholes have been graved to check if anything could be found. At one point, Geamana, the campain was successful.
With the found points and some known points from the near Ukraine a new transformation could be calculated. Now the coordinates are known with an accuracy of about 2cm. A new orthophoto of Moldova is currently developped and will be of important usage for the next big field campaign. As many points are situated on agricultural fields it can be assumed that many of them have been destroyed. The remaining points (about 15) will be checked in the field as soon as possible.
Results
On the point Rudy has been built a monument which has been inaugurated in June 2006.
Half a year later, in November 2006, the scientists of INGEOCAD found the point Geamana, 40km southwest of Chisinau, the capital of Moldova. The institute is now clarifying in what form a monumentation of this point could be achieved. It is the aim that Geamana will be included on the list in the next step.
In October 2007, another field campaign could report the destruction of point Reseni. The place is located in the middle of a highway which has been built in a man-made insection of a hill.
Pictures
Rudy Pillar | Rudy Monument | Rudy Plate |
Opening of Rudy Monument | UNESCO commemorating paper | Rudy Information board |
Geamana Stones | Geamana Central Hole | Geamana Measuring |
Map Moldova | Reseni Landscape |
First Day Cover | Souvenir sheet | Commemorative coin |
External Links
Agency for Land Relations and Cadastre of Moldova | |
Instiute of Geodesy, Engineering Research and Cadastre, Moldova | |
Wikipedia on Republic of Moldova |